In surgical operations of the ureter it is conventional practice to make an incision in the wall of the ureter to provide access for the removal of an obstruction, such as a tumor, scar or kidney stone. A temporary tube may then be inserted in the ureter, the ends of which communicate with a kidney and bladder. Upon healing of the ureter incision, the tube is removed by capturing its lower bladder end by a cystoscope instrument. It is also conventional to improvise the requisite tube during the operation.
One of the disadvantages of the procedure, aforesaid, is that the tube tends to move by peristalsis into the bladder, where it may be difficult to capture with a cystoscope. A further disadvantage is that such movement may occur before the ureter, or incision therein, has completely healed, thus subjecting it to undesired flow of fluid through or adjacent unhealed portions thereof.
To obviate such disadvantages it becomes apparent that the disiderata would be to prevent movement of the tube from its intended position in the ureter until the optimum time for its removal and also to retain its lower or proximate end in such position in the bladder where it may more readily be captured for removal.